The field is set for the 2022 Boys’ Sweet 16. See who’s in and how they rank.

The field is set for the 2022 UK HealthCare Boys’ Sweet 16 State Basketball Tournament.

The final 10 teams in the field for the March 16-19 event in Rupp Arena earned berths Tuesday night by winning regional championships around Kentucky.

Champions in the 3^rd (Muhlenberg County), 4^th (Warren Central), 5^th (John Hardin), 6^th (Jeffersontown), 8^th (North Oldham), 9^th (Covington Catholic), 10^th (Clark County), 12^th (Lincoln County), 14^th (Perry County Central) and 16^th (Ashland Blazer) regions were crowned on Tuesday.

They joined the six regional champions who were crowned previously: 1^st (Murray), 2^nd (Lyon County), 7^th (Male), 11^th (Henry Clay), 13^th (North Laurel) and 15^th (Pikeville).

The 104th annual single-elimination tournament will play out March 16-19 in Lexington.

Four days after this week’s Girls’ Sweet 16 comes to a close in Rupp Arena, the boys will take the floor on Wednesday, March 16. The opening game tips off at 11 a.m. and features Jeffersontown against Lincoln County.

Clark County enters as the favorite to win the boys’ state tournament, according to Dave Cantrall’s Rating the state.

A new champion will be crowned in 2022 as last year’s winner, Highlands High School, was knocked out in the first round of this year’s 9^th Region Tournament.

Only three teams who played in the 2021 tournament earned their way back to Rupp Arena this year: Muhlenberg County, Clark County and Ashland Blazer.

Henry Clay owns the most previous state titles of any team in this year’s field with six — 1918, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924 and 1983.

Ashland Blazer and Male are next with four championships each. Covington Catholic has won the Sweet 16 twice. Clark County, Jeffersontown and Warren Central have one title each. Looking for their first state championship are Murray, Lyon County, Muhlenberg County, John Hardin, North Oldham, Lincoln County, North Laurel, Perry County Central and Pikeville.

Boys’ Sweet 16

What: Sixteen-team tournament to decide Kentucky’s high school basketball state champion.

When: March 16-19

Where: Rupp Arena

Tickets: Tickets available for purchase at KHSAA.org.

Boys’ Sweet 16 schedule

At Rupp Arena

March 16 first-round games

11 a.m.: Jeffersontown (24-8) vs. Lincoln County (29-7)

1:30 p.m.: Muhlenberg County (18-11) vs. North Oldham (18-12)

6 p.m.: Perry County Central (29-4) vs. Clark County (33-1)

8:30 p.m.: North Laurel (28-5) vs. Pikeville (31-2)

March 17 first-round games

11 a.m.: Warren Central (26-3) vs. Male (28-5)

1:30 p.m.: Lyon County (28-6) vs. John Hardin (25-9)

6 p.m.: Henry Clay (27-8) vs. Murray (25-6)

8:30 p.m.: Covingon Catholic (28-4) vs. Ashland Blazer (26-5)

March 18 quarterfinals

11 a.m.: Winners of March 16 day session

1:30 p.m.: Winners of March night session

6 p.m.: Winners of March 17 1:30 and 8:30 games

8:30 p.m.: Winners of March 17 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. games

March 19 semifinals and finals

11 a.m.: Winners of March 18 day session

1:30 p.m.: Winners of March 18 night session

7 p.m.: Championship

Cantrall Ratings

Dave Cantrall’s Rating the State rankings for teams in the Boys’ Sweet 16:

1. Clark County 87.2

2. Covington Catholic 85.4

3. Warren Central 83.9

4. North Laurel 83.6

5. Male 82.5

6. Ashland Blazer 80.6

7. Jeffersontown 79.9

8. Henry Clay 77.5

8. Lincoln County 77.5

10. Pikeville 76.8

11. North Oldham 75.5

12. Lyon County 74.8

13. Murray 72.6

14. Muhlenberg County 71.3

15. Perry Central 69.5

16. John Hardin 68.2

This story was originally published March 9, 2022 at 7:58 AM.